Well, since my last post, seems that half of North Carolina (and many other states) were nearly wiped off the face of the earth by tornados, including Fayetteville, which is still cleaning up. So my plans have been very weather dependant the last week and a half.
I did finally get a new seat for my tri-bike, and it makes the world of difference! Rode it 40 miles with Keith, and only minor discomfort, unlike the "who put a lit flamethrower in my chamois" feeling from the stock seat that came with the bike. But gearing up to my next two races, Riverwood this weekend and White Lake Sprint next weekend! This is going to be fun, just need to get into my wetsuit and swim with it once or twice. I am not worried about the open water aspect, just the feeling of swimming in a wetsuit.
And I took my semiannual Army Physical Fitness Test, which I did fine on, just need to work the situps, which I HATE with a passion, but the run was a nice time trial, clocking a 13:24 two-mile run, so not too bad. Felt good to do it and get it over with, just hate doing them is all.
I need to get some photos up, because I know I suck as an author, so I need funny pictures to distract everyone from my prose! But looking forward to IRL meetups with other folks I have met on the internet from facebook, beginner triathlete, daily mile or athlinks, since I know I will probably never win Kona, but I love to meet new folks, especially who like to tri like I do. So if you see a race that you are doing that is on my list, look for the short tri dude and say "Hi" to me, I love to chat with fellow athletes!
Take care and hope the weather holds for a bit more so I can sneak another run in today!
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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
It's FRIDAY!
Ok, now how many people started to hear *that* horrible song in their heads? (Don't know what I am talking about, go here) But after that song haunts you on many levels, this week was an interesting one as far as training. Did a few 6 mile runs (one in the dark, not too fun there), tried to get to the pool on Thursday, but the pool had the yellow "crime scene" tape around the front door, which I think was a warning to me, so Thursday was a wash on the training side, but I did get to do some heart rate training, I jumped yesterday. For those not familiar with Army Airborne Operations, we conduct static line aircraft exits, NOT military free-fall (those are the SF guys that get to do that). Basically, we get into an aircraft, hook our static line (which is hooked to our chutes) to the aircraft, and walk out the open door when we are told too. It is more fun than it sounds, because you get to control your chute to the ground. But ok, I got to jump yesterday and again, proved that gravity does work. Yeaaa me! This weekend will be a fun high-mileage fest (if the rain holds off), culminating with a long ride with a new internet buddy, Keith (who wants to ride 90 miles) but I only planned for 26 miles so I am going to ride for about 2 hours because of other commitments, but I think I will start programming longer rides with him for the weekends (he has completed a bunch of Iron and half Iron races), so I hope I can hang with him and not slow him down too much! Well, gotta finish up my work for today so I can enjoy my weekend! Hope everyone has a great and fun weekend training and racing!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Weekend Update and a look ahead
Well, this last weekend was fun, I actually ate some ice cream (and then remembered why I don't anymore!) saw a really bad movie (WARNING: Don't go see "Your Highness" unless you want to: a) kiss 14 bucks goodbye, b) not laugh. Once. Or at all., or c) sit with a bunch of lit up kids laughing at anything/everything) Just sad what is passed off as a movie these days...
Well got out on the roads this weekend, to include a nice ride from one side of Fort Bragg to the house, a nice 27 mile jaunt. But I really amped up my bike this week, but ignored the run and swim, so gotta get back in balance this week!
But last week, I just about made 100 miles total, even with 6 "red marks" on the wall (my "Red marks" are workouts that I planned but didn't execute, either at all or the full workout), so that was a lot of missed opportunities, and thru today, I have one already (missed my swim on Monday night). Not a good start. But just have to get re-centered since i am not racing until 30 April now (Riverwood Sprint in Clayton, NC), so gotta get back in the saddle.
The plus side of concentrating on the bike this last week was that I got FAST on the bike. My climbing is getting back to where it was, and I am really hammering the flats too. Maybe I need to find some bike races this summer, since I am doing 5k / 10k / half marys, open water swims, and triathlons, might as well get the hat trick by bike racing. I have always loved that.
Well, here is what the week ahead looks like:
Tuesday - 6 mile run
Wednesday - 6 mile run
Thursday - 6 mile run; 1500 yards swim
Friday - 20 mile bike; 6 mile run; 1500 yard swim (god, that will be a LONG day)
Saturday - 10 mile run; 12 mile bike
Sunday - 6 mile run; 18 mile bike
That will take me over 100 miles this week, so that will be a busy time for me, perhaps I need to start training with a group or something. Hmmmm.
Well, only 6 more weeks to my first half marathon, and right now the goal is to finish in under 2 hours. I am sure that I can do that, but I just want to have a good goal out there, since I have never run a half before. And next week, I will start publishing my mileage, so you can compare my planned / actual distances.
Later all!
Well got out on the roads this weekend, to include a nice ride from one side of Fort Bragg to the house, a nice 27 mile jaunt. But I really amped up my bike this week, but ignored the run and swim, so gotta get back in balance this week!
But last week, I just about made 100 miles total, even with 6 "red marks" on the wall (my "Red marks" are workouts that I planned but didn't execute, either at all or the full workout), so that was a lot of missed opportunities, and thru today, I have one already (missed my swim on Monday night). Not a good start. But just have to get re-centered since i am not racing until 30 April now (Riverwood Sprint in Clayton, NC), so gotta get back in the saddle.
The plus side of concentrating on the bike this last week was that I got FAST on the bike. My climbing is getting back to where it was, and I am really hammering the flats too. Maybe I need to find some bike races this summer, since I am doing 5k / 10k / half marys, open water swims, and triathlons, might as well get the hat trick by bike racing. I have always loved that.
Well, here is what the week ahead looks like:
Tuesday - 6 mile run
Wednesday - 6 mile run
Thursday - 6 mile run; 1500 yards swim
Friday - 20 mile bike; 6 mile run; 1500 yard swim (god, that will be a LONG day)
Saturday - 10 mile run; 12 mile bike
Sunday - 6 mile run; 18 mile bike
That will take me over 100 miles this week, so that will be a busy time for me, perhaps I need to start training with a group or something. Hmmmm.
Well, only 6 more weeks to my first half marathon, and right now the goal is to finish in under 2 hours. I am sure that I can do that, but I just want to have a good goal out there, since I have never run a half before. And next week, I will start publishing my mileage, so you can compare my planned / actual distances.
Later all!
Monday, April 4, 2011
USO Run for the Troops 5k Race Report
Well, this is my last 5k for a while, which means I can sleep in a little on Saturdays, but I am a sucker for running for a cause, so go figure! Luckily this was a local race also, so that would help!
Saturday turning into a busy day with a race in the morning, then went to the Gun Show (not the "Gun Show", a real one), took the wife to the range to fire her new pistol and then dinner and a movie at night (She went to a play with a friend and I went to a movie with the friends son!), so that was a fun day. Well, on to the race report.
We got to the race somewhat early, since it was 15 minutes from my door, so we got there so I could pick up my packet, stretch and all that good stuff. The temps were a bit on the chilly side, right around 39-42*, so a bit cool, so I opted to wear the long sleeve shirt to race in, but it was nice and sunny.
The race was to benefit the USO of North Carolina, which was the first USO ever, and since they do not accept federal funds, they have to take donations, which is an awesome cause, because they do so much for the troops, both home and deployed. But the turnout was really good, with 320 runners and probably twice that walking, so a rather large race for the area. Nice!
Well I wasn't in my comfort zone since I forgot my heart rate strap and sunglasses, so I wasn't all warm and fuzzy, but I would get by. Glad I took my Claritin, because the azaleas, dogwoods and pine were a polinatin' and with out it I would have been a big, snotty mess. But I warmed up and headed to the start / finish line.
Well the line up was interesting, I was sandwiched between a bunch of bunnies (sorry guys, not Playmate bunnies, dudes with bunny ears) and a lady with no pants (she was old and wearing the "Speedo" style bottoms). Well the gun went off and I bolted out with the lead pack of about 20-30 and we cruised thru Fayetteville Tech's campus until we got to the first turn, which the leaders (about 15-18) went straight and I was in third (briefly!) until the lead pack figured it out. The lack of direction and course marking was going to be a reoccuring theme, so get ready for it!
I was feeling not bad and keeping within eyesight of the leaders on the winding roads near the campus and hung tough when someone passed me, I would get back with them immediately. I was moving well and not feeling too bad. I saw the leaders pass the waterpoint / turn around point (it was briefed at the pre-race) but I guess the volunteers didn't know to tell folks to turn around, and the two leaders blazed by them and most everyone turned at the waterpoint as the leaders came running back. Well, at least we know that there were no more surprises on the way back!
At around mile 2 1/2, I was getting a bit tired and lost my focus for a bit, but quickly regained it and kept motoring on. I figured that I was going to make my final push at the last turn (about 1/2 mile to the finish) until I passed the 3 mile mark. I really got confused then. So I went a bit early, and figured that the course was mismarked a bit, so I eased up to save that last match for the kick at the end.
I slowly rolled on the steam after the corner and passed a few more folks, but couldn't catch that last guy in front of me (he ended up being the 1st place in my age group), but I hit stop on my watch and looked at the time, 23:22, and thought, "Wow, I thought I was faster than that!", then looked at the distance, which was 3.54 miles. Whoops, just a little long there! A bunch of the guys that finished in front of me were bitching and complaining, but I looked at the map before the race and knew the turns, and even knew the turnaround point (race briefing), so even though the race was longer than advertised, they had all the information about the race, if they had paid attention. But oh well, I ran my race.
I jogged over to the port-o-lets and then back by the vendors, MuscleMax and the Spa, who was giving massages (which of course I took!) and then waited for the results (20th overall, and 2nd in my AG, by 5 seconds) and collected my medal and thanked the volunteers (USO, Purolator Employees, and the Red Cross) and headed out.
So not too bad of a race, just a little long, but like they say, everyone had to run the same distance. Guess I am not going to race until the end of the month at the Riverwood Sprint Triathlon in Clayton, so I can work on training and getting my ride and swim up to par now. But all is well! Take care everyone and I'll post a weekly workout list later today!
Saturday turning into a busy day with a race in the morning, then went to the Gun Show (not the "Gun Show", a real one), took the wife to the range to fire her new pistol and then dinner and a movie at night (She went to a play with a friend and I went to a movie with the friends son!), so that was a fun day. Well, on to the race report.
We got to the race somewhat early, since it was 15 minutes from my door, so we got there so I could pick up my packet, stretch and all that good stuff. The temps were a bit on the chilly side, right around 39-42*, so a bit cool, so I opted to wear the long sleeve shirt to race in, but it was nice and sunny.
The race was to benefit the USO of North Carolina, which was the first USO ever, and since they do not accept federal funds, they have to take donations, which is an awesome cause, because they do so much for the troops, both home and deployed. But the turnout was really good, with 320 runners and probably twice that walking, so a rather large race for the area. Nice!
Well I wasn't in my comfort zone since I forgot my heart rate strap and sunglasses, so I wasn't all warm and fuzzy, but I would get by. Glad I took my Claritin, because the azaleas, dogwoods and pine were a polinatin' and with out it I would have been a big, snotty mess. But I warmed up and headed to the start / finish line.
Well the line up was interesting, I was sandwiched between a bunch of bunnies (sorry guys, not Playmate bunnies, dudes with bunny ears) and a lady with no pants (she was old and wearing the "Speedo" style bottoms). Well the gun went off and I bolted out with the lead pack of about 20-30 and we cruised thru Fayetteville Tech's campus until we got to the first turn, which the leaders (about 15-18) went straight and I was in third (briefly!) until the lead pack figured it out. The lack of direction and course marking was going to be a reoccuring theme, so get ready for it!
I was feeling not bad and keeping within eyesight of the leaders on the winding roads near the campus and hung tough when someone passed me, I would get back with them immediately. I was moving well and not feeling too bad. I saw the leaders pass the waterpoint / turn around point (it was briefed at the pre-race) but I guess the volunteers didn't know to tell folks to turn around, and the two leaders blazed by them and most everyone turned at the waterpoint as the leaders came running back. Well, at least we know that there were no more surprises on the way back!
At around mile 2 1/2, I was getting a bit tired and lost my focus for a bit, but quickly regained it and kept motoring on. I figured that I was going to make my final push at the last turn (about 1/2 mile to the finish) until I passed the 3 mile mark. I really got confused then. So I went a bit early, and figured that the course was mismarked a bit, so I eased up to save that last match for the kick at the end.
I slowly rolled on the steam after the corner and passed a few more folks, but couldn't catch that last guy in front of me (he ended up being the 1st place in my age group), but I hit stop on my watch and looked at the time, 23:22, and thought, "Wow, I thought I was faster than that!", then looked at the distance, which was 3.54 miles. Whoops, just a little long there! A bunch of the guys that finished in front of me were bitching and complaining, but I looked at the map before the race and knew the turns, and even knew the turnaround point (race briefing), so even though the race was longer than advertised, they had all the information about the race, if they had paid attention. But oh well, I ran my race.
I jogged over to the port-o-lets and then back by the vendors, MuscleMax and the Spa, who was giving massages (which of course I took!) and then waited for the results (20th overall, and 2nd in my AG, by 5 seconds) and collected my medal and thanked the volunteers (USO, Purolator Employees, and the Red Cross) and headed out.
So not too bad of a race, just a little long, but like they say, everyone had to run the same distance. Guess I am not going to race until the end of the month at the Riverwood Sprint Triathlon in Clayton, so I can work on training and getting my ride and swim up to par now. But all is well! Take care everyone and I'll post a weekly workout list later today!
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